ICC prosecutor opens investigation into Belarus over extradition to Lithuania | Court news

The prosecutor’s office said the crimes being investigated include deportation and persecution by deportation.

Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have opened an investigation into Belarus over suspected forced deportations of government opponents.

The ICC prosecutor’s office said on Thursday it had “found reasonable grounds to believe that crimes were committed within the jurisdiction of the court”.

The alleged crimes being investigated include deportation and persecution by deportation and were committed “at least on the territory of Lithuania”.

“There are reasonable grounds to believe that these crimes were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population,” the prosecutor added.

Although Belarus is not a member of the ICC, Lithuania also brought the case to the court.

Lithuania is home to tens of thousands of Belarusians who fled their homeland in 2020 after Minsk authorities violently suppressed protests against longtime President Alexander Lukashenko.

Exiled opposition figures regularly report being threatened by Minsk’s KGB security services while abroad.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Sikhanouskaya welcomed the ICC prosecutor’s announcement.

Millions of Belarusians have suffered and continue to suffer because of the regime’s actions.

“This decision restores hope. Justice will prevail, those responsible will be held accountable and victims will finally get truth and justice,” he said.

In September 2024, Lithuania urged the ICC to open an investigation into what it said were some alleged crimes committed in its country.

In December, Belarus forcibly deported political prisoners, mostly released from prison, to Lithuania, such as Nobel laureate Ales Bliatsky.

Last September, Minsk tried to forcibly deport opposition figure Mykola Statkevich to Lithuania. He refused to cross the border and was sent back to Belarus and sent to prison before being released on medical grounds last month.

According to the rights group Viasna, there are 1,139 political prisoners in Belarus.